Embodiments described herein relate generally to moving a container automatically. More specifically, the embodiments relate to moving automatically a sample container in an automated analytical instrument, such as a blood analyzer and the like.
Analytical instruments are available for performing a number of functions. Some analytical instruments perform medical tests on biological samples, such as human blood and the like. These medical tests may determine if, for example, a certain patient's blood make-up shows that the patient suffers from a disease. To perform the medical tests, a number of things are done, such as counting cells, sorting cells and the like.
Because of the number of things done to the blood sample, the blood sample may be divided into separate portions, such as one portion for each of the things to be done with the blood. In order to remember from which patient the blood was taken, a name or identity code may be used and given to each of the separate portions. The separate portions of blood are processed during the medical tests performed by the analytical instrument. Information about the separate portions is gathered from the tests. Once all of the tests are complete, the information gathered from the tests about the blood sample is given to a medical professional. Because each of the separate portions of blood was given a name identifying the patient from whom the blood was taken, the medical professional can match the information to the proper patient.
However, in practice, matching the information gathered by the analytical instruments with a patient may not be easy. In some cases, many analytical instruments are used. These instruments may be located in different places. A container holding blood from the patient may be divided into portions in one place and the instruments may be in another place. During transport of the portions, the identity codes may be lost or become unreadable. Multiple identity codes may be used. All of these events can lead to mistakes in the information/patient matching process. Those mistakes may cause the wrong information to be matched with a patient. Thus, in an effort to reduce the probability of mistakes, it is desirable to name, to divide and to test the blood sample in the same place, preferably with the same instrument.